Nissan NV3500 HVAC Blend Door Actuator Replacement Cost

Know what price you should pay to get your vehicle fixed.

The average cost for a Nissan NV3500 HVAC Blend Door Actuator Replacement is between $140 and $162. Labor costs are estimated between $79 and $100 while parts are priced between $61 and $62. Estimate does not include taxes and fees.

What is a blend door actuator?

In a vehicles heating and cooling system, the blend door actuators help control the air temperature from the vents, as well as direct air to selected vents.

How does the blend door actuator work?

To blow heat into the cabin, the heater blower motor blows air through the heater core and through the dash vents. When heat is not desired, the blend door actuators direct airflow away from the heater core. There are also actuators to direct air to the dash vents, floor vents, and windshield vents as desired by the occupants.

What are the symptoms related to a bad blend door actuator?

Blend door actuator motors may become noisy when they are no longer able to move the blend doors. They also may be silent if the actuator motor has failed completely. Vacuum type actuators should never make any noise. When the blend door actuator has failed, certain functions of the air conditioner or heater may cease to function. This may be failure to change airflow to a separate vent, or failure to change air temperature from the vents.

Can I drive with a blend door actuator problem?

Driving with blend door actuator failure may not be comfortable, but it will not harm the vehicle. The air conditioning ducts are not part of any other system, and will not change vehicle performance.

How often do blend door actuators need to be replaced?

Blend door actuators fail frequently on some vehicles, but not in others. Therefore, the rate of failure will depend on the vehicle make, model, and year.

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How are blend door actuator issues diagnosed?

Diagnostics begin as soon as the servicing technician enters the vehicle. When complaints focus around the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), the technician will start by attempting to select each vent position and temperature range to verify the customer complaint. They will note the amount and temperature of the air leaving the vents, and ensure the selected vents are functioning when desired. When vent selection or temperature setting do not create a change in function, the blend doors and A/C control unit are suspected. After verifying proper function of the control unit, the blend door actuators and blend doors are suspected of failure. When these components are suspected, testing the circuit and observing during function are the only ways to test them. The electrical wires or vacuum lines will be inspected to ensure the proper amount of power is being delivered. If the blend door actuators are receiving power but are not functioning, they are most likely faulty, but the well-informed technician will choose to remove, and bench test these components before replacement. If the actuators function but do not produce the intended change, the blend doors may be broken and disconnected.

HVAC Blend Door Actuator Replacement Cost Estimates

The average cost for a HVAC Blend Door Actuator Replacement is between $140 and $162 but can vary from car to car.

How is a blend door actuator replaced?

Replacement procedures will vary according to vehicle. The best-case scenario, is the blend door actuator may be located in an accessible location, and dismantling the dashboard is not required. In this situation, the technician can simply remove, inspect, test, and replace the blend doors or blend door actuators. However, most modern vehicles, especially those with dual climate control features and rear passenger air options, can have several blend doors and blend door actuators. These can be located in hard to access areas, and can require the removal of the airbags, steering wheel, center console, all in dash electronic devices, including the A/C control unit, radio, touch-screens, and eventually the dashboard. In most cases complete dashboard removal will not be necessary, but those cases do occur.

RepairPal Recommendations for blend door actuator issues

We do not recommend using the DIY universal blend door correction kits, as these kits involve cutting into the HVAC ducting, and replacing OEM components with non-vehicle specific components.

What to look out for when dealing with blend door actuator issues

Some vehicles have only one blend door, which is used to change the temperature that is allowed into the vehicle. However, some vehicles can have five or more blend doors. This should not affect the cost of diagnostics since the trained technician can understand which blend door actuator controls the non-performing function, and blend door actuators do not tend to fail in unison.

Can I replace the blend door actuator myself?

Blend door actuators can be changed by a moderately skilled DIYer with a basic knowledge of testing a simple series circuit. However, the level of difficulty can range from easy to dangerously difficult. When the dashboard will require removal, the best solution is to consult a professional technician since removal of airbags and SRS components can cause vehicle or equipment damage, or severe injury.